The bean head of a combine is positioned relatively close to ground level when in operation, and therefore, is prone to intake field debris such as rocks. Rocks that pass over the cutter bar onto the grain table can cause considerable structural damage to the feed auger of the bean head and to other components of the combine. This results in high maintenance costs and expensive downtime on a critical piece of harvesting equipment.
Known devices to prevent rock damage to combines include traps to prevent damage to the threshing cylinder and concave. These devices, however, deal with the problem of rock damages only after the rock has advanced to a certain point within the machine. Of course, considerable damage may be done by the rock before it reaches that point.
Known guards for preventing rocks from advancing beyond the cutter bar limit access to the bolts on the cutter bar making cutter bar maintenance difficult.
Those concerned with these and other problems recognize the need for an improved rock guard for a combine.